Friday, October 26, 2012

So the last few days have been chilly. We're finally to that time of year where you have to start your car 15 minutes early to defrost the windows, wear a jacket the majority of the day, and when it's super hard to get out of bed in the morning because it's just so warm in bed and so cold out of it.

A few years back I wanted to make a Christmas gift for everybody in the family so I decided to make rice bags. I know I'm going to have to give up some of my "guy points" by telling you this but I don't really care, I'll eat some steak later and call it even.

Amanda's feet and hands get really cold and when we would get into bed, she would always want to put them on me. Those suckers were so cold they would stick to moist flesh. If you're not familiar with the concept, please watch the following educational and scientifically based video.

Not that I mind having sub zero body parts put on me just before I fall asleep, but I thought there must be a way to make her more comfortable. So I researched and came up with the idea of making the legendary rice bag. The concept is simple: A 100% cotton cloth bag with rice in it. Then you take the bag, put it in the microwave for 3 minutes on high, and bingo-you have a nice, warm (hot at first) bag that stays warm for hours. We warm them up and put them at the foot of the bed. It makes it very nice to hop into bed with one of those babys waiting for you. It's like summer in a bag! Here is a picture of some of the ones I made.

I made mine a bit more fancy than a basic design. I made an inner bag that holds the rice which is a tie-dye color then I made sleeves for them to slip into which is the plaid you see in the picture. This way we can take the covers off and wash them periodically. In my defense, I made the pink ones for the girls and I made the guys' blue to butch it up a bit.

I made these probably 4 years ago and they are, by far, the best gift I think I've ever given. The entire family still uses theirs every winter. My sister Whitney used two or three at a time when she was at school in Greeley to keep warm in -20 degree weather. It's nice that something so simple has made such an impact on the family.

Thursday, October 11, 2012

If you don't want to hear it, don't read it because here it comes.....

Had I been sick in the head and been planning on voting Obama/Biden this election, after the VP debate tonight I would have switched sides. Bla bla bla, they talked all night about points and how they're going to save this country and lower the debt and make everybody love each other. What made the real impression on me tonight is how stinkin' disrespectful Biden was all night! I get it, Ryan is going to say things that Biden doesn't agree with...it's a debate Joe, it's SUPPOSED to happen! But when you sit there, laugh, smirk and use words like "malarkey" in a presidential debate? Mmmm, no. You and your Whitehouse buddies are so unprofessional. I am embarrassed for you. And by the way, Joe can you breathe any louder into your mic? Mr. Biden, you are by far the reason why I hate political debates. You are rude, disrespectful and UGLY! Low blow but there it is, Joe Biden you are an unattractive person and I don't vote for you. The only reason you are National Undesireable #2 is because your running mate is National Undesireable #1.

As Romeny said in the presidential debate, just because you say the same things over and over and over again, it doesn't make them true. Unfortunately there are people out there that don't agree with that statement and they can't get over themselves to do some real research and come up with an opinion of their own.

And then people wonder why I don't have cable....because it's full of stupid BS like this. Everywhere I look it's stupid, biased crap that sucks the life out of the America.

One last question....most of the debates focus on debt/spending/taxes. Joe, if you were going to balance the budget, promote world peace and solve the world's problems, why haven't you done it in the last four years?!? Stop saying what's convenient at the time, step up , grow a pair, and make a difference, stop talking about it!

M'kay, so I was very skeptical when I first heard they were making a Battleship movie. "Oh gosh, they're really running out of good ideas for movies" I believe were my exact words. I mean, come on, it was a guaranteed flop!

"But then you come back and totally redeem yourself!"

I'm not going to say it was the most amazing life-altering movie but my goodness I sure enjoyed it! I really enjoy movies that take something unlikely and unrealistic and finds a way to wrap you mind around it and make you think "Hum, I could see how that could be feasible." Here are the parts that I liked most about it:

1. The aliens. I'm sorry if I'm ruining the movie for you but I thought it was a very nice change for an alien movie to make the aliens more humanistic instead of a rolling oozing pile of goo. A few obvious differences from humans in these aliens but overall they're very similar. I've always wanted to see a movie where the aliens aren't so crazy and more...well...as realistic as aliens can be produced by Hollywood.

2. The technology. Again, spoiler alert, but the fact that old technology came in and saved new technology's butt...awesome. Watch the movie, you'll understand.

3. Incorporating Battleship into the movie plot but not allowing it to overtake a good movie. It was great how the producers and directors found a way to incorporate the original Battleship game into the movie. Very creative.

4. I LOVE the part when the retired vets step up and say "Come on, give me a piece of that..." My favorite part hands down.

5. WE WON! Of course I love a happy ending...who doesn't? And I really liked how the directors found a way to keep the suspense going for a longer time instead of a big climax directly to The End.

So I know I'm not a professional critic and it really doesn't bother me if you disagree, I liked it and I can't wait to buy it! ﻿